


Ghostin' along.

by Xp0ll0



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: ??? - Freeform, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Character Death, Drug Use, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Klaus cries, Klaus loves spooky shit im sorry, M/M, and Diego is a good brother, and so are the boys, but they also have no brain cells, god im so sad, if any of yous read this as incest I'll beat you up, pretty angsty tbh, thats kinda a given tbh, theyre just brothers that really care for each other, uhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 22:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17989580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xp0ll0/pseuds/Xp0ll0
Summary: All things considered Diego could be blamed for not letting Klaus drive his car. Really this could be avoided if Diego had just handed over the keys and sure Klaus can’t drive but that's just a minor detail.That's how Diego had ended up all bucked up, clad in whatever he deemed as pajamas as a buzzing, blitzed Klaus happily tucked himself into the passenger seat. Klaus who had practically dragged Diego out of his peaceful slumber because someone decided to eat half an edible at 3am in the morning. This someone thought it was reasonable to wake their brother up to bring them to Burger King of all places because they had a bad case of the munchies. Apparently your father figure dying was a good enough reason to get completely baked, or maybe just an excuse.Or alternativelyKlaus gets sad-stoned, Diego is tired and they have a heart to heart.





	Ghostin' along.

**Author's Note:**

> God, this is a messy but they're messy fucks so its fair. Really I just love these emotionally stunted bitches, but I accidently wrote a no powers AU but it still pretty much still follows the show but with a fucked timeline. Maybe Reginald was a politician that adopted a bunch of kids to look good, sis idk, I just wanted to write sad shit.

All things considered Diego could be blamed for not letting Klaus drive his car.  _ Really _ this could be avoided if Diego had just handed over the keys and sure Klaus can’t drive but that's just a minor detail. 

That's how Diego had ended up all bucked up, clad in whatever he deemed as pajamas as a buzzing, blitzed Klaus happily tucked himself into the passenger seat. Klaus who had practically dragged Diego out of his peaceful slumber because _someone_ decided to eat half an edible at 3am in the morning. This _someone_ thought it was reasonable to wake their brother up to bring them to Burger King of all places because they had a bad case of the munchies. Apparently your father figure dying was a good enough reason to get completely baked, or maybe just an excuse.

 

“This is last time I’m doing this, you never change” Diego grumbled as he focused on backing out of the driveway, peering over his shoulder and adjusting the gear stick. This was stupid, Klaus should be able to drive anyway, definitely at his age. Or maybe not. Knowing him he’d crash within minutes. It had been at least two years since he had seen his brother, many more years since they lived together but apparently that didn’t mean anything to Klaus, whether they be in their thirties or seventeen, Klaus was going to wake him up for a snack run.

 

But  _ Jesus _ , he was beyond tired, with work and his father dying (though admittedly, that wasn't much of a problem. He got to see his mom anyway, a gentle upside to his situation), and now being thrown back into his childhood home with his less than appealing siblings. All he wanted to do was curl up and rest, dream about something other than Patch and screaming matches for once. Maybe a nice Cuban holiday or winning the lottery. But no. Klaus just had to leer over him with that far too toothy grin as he dragged the duvet off the bed, Diego crashing to the floor with it. Probably not the best way to wake up the person that you’re about to ask to drive to a fast food restaurant because you’re stoned. 

 

It's not like Klaus cared much anyway. That much was clear with the way he was practically giggling into his hands, almost suffocated by the fur coat he had draped around himself. Diego had a suspicion that it once belonged to Allison. He was stupid-high. Diego thought that maybe rehab would’ve helped but the dark rings around his eyes were telling, the current redness of his eyes didn’t help much either. It would have been scary if Diego didn’t see him worse before, he was too tired to even consider thinking about Ben. 

“Awh, you don’t mean that,” Klaus drawled, leaning over the gear stick with a pout, rubbing at fake tears before Diego pushed him back by the forehead, drawing a cackle from the other man, “It's not my fault i'm so charming and irresistible.” Diego scoffed as Klaus grinned sleepily to himself. 

 

Diego wasn’t in the mood for small talk. He wasn’t in the mood for Klaus’ bullshit. He was however in the mood to sleep. He barely noticed how tight he was holding the wheel as they zoomed through the night, it all felt too familiar. He shouldn’t feel nostalgic while driving his junkie brother to get fast food. They sat in a comforting silence, it was almost peaceful if Diego ignored Klaus muttering to himself or scratching at his hands. However it was very hard to ignore Klaus, he demanded attention whether he was actually trying to get it or not. Diego couldn’t help but think he looked _ sick.  _ All sharp-boned angles and smudgy eyes which only looked worst surrounded by messy mascara and runny eyeliner. Too thin and declining. Unkempt and bedraggled. So different to Diego. 

 

Well at least Klaus seemed happy, that's something that he had going that Diego did  _ not _ .

However, Diego couldn’t complain much. At least he wasn’t pumping himself full of toxins like his brother. His brother who has woke him up not even the day after his father’s funeral, at ungodly hours. He focused on the road, hard eyes watching as signs disappeared over head. He was acutely aware of Klaus shifting in his seat, how he was rubbing the now black fur of his sleeve against his eyes, how he ran his fingers against the cutouts in his jeans, how he twitched and shifted and fidgeted. “Can you stop that?” Diego suddenly barked at him, jerking to a stop at a red light. A soft ‘huh?’ fell from Klaus’ lips as they began to drive again. “You keep moving, just- I can't concentrate, stop it.”

 

Klaus stuck his tongue out at him before he took to josling his legs, Diego sighed but left it. The  Burger King was only around the corner anyway. Finally they pulled up, the large lit up sign welcoming them as Klaus bounced in his seat while pointing like Diego didn’t know where they were. “Ugh, true home, sweet home!” Klaus sighed dreamily, before draping a wrist across his forehead as he slumped into his seat dramatically. Diego sighed, the sooner they got in the sooner they got home, to bed. 

Klaus didn’t even wait for Diego to full park before he practically tucked and rolled out the door, looking half like a hollywood starlet in his fur coat and utter mess in his pink fluffy pajama pants and crocs. He rushed to the door, giddy as ever as he turned to motion for Diego to follow. The glass doors we’re practically shaking with how violently Klaus was pushing at them before his smile dropped, his hands fell to his sides and he leaned forward to the point his forehead rested against the glass frames.

 

“Its closed,” Klaus muttered, shoulders sagging as if he was admitting defeat. 

 

“What?” Diego regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth because suddenly he has his arms full of Klaus Hargreeves. 

 

“Closed! Fucking closed! Since when does it close! It never used to close!” Klaus was practically yelling in the middle of an empty parking lot. Yeah, this was definitely nostalgic. “Can you believe it?  _ Closed!”  _ Klaus was practically fake sobbing at this point, or maybe it was real, he tended to become twice as dramatic while stoned. Suddenly Klaus gasped, grashing Diego by his shirt and tugged him towards him, leaning over him. “Dee, Diego, my favourite brother,” he was doing the pouty puppy eyes again, “drive me to  McDonalds ?” 

Diego groaned in despair. 

 

That's how they ended up in a 24 hour  McDonalds  at 3:45am. In their pajamas, Diego sipping gingerly at a coffee and Klaus stuffing his face with half the menu. He had begun to come down from his high, rubbing at his eyes and slurring his words sleepily but also twitching and looking around frantically like he might miss something. It was almost agitating. Klaus hadn’t been himself the whole car ride, too quite, too jittery. Of course he was typically annoying but the way he would squeeze his eyes shut or run his fingers along his arms was almost concerning, Diego would blame the high if he didn’t know any better. “Alright, I give, What's up with you?”  

 

Klaus looked up from his nuggets, wide eyed and confused before shrugged and going back to his feast. Diego grumbled before placing his coffee gently down and snatching away the remains of Klaus’ food. “Hey! You bitch!” he yelped, far too loud for an empty restaurant. “Give ‘em back. This is sibling abuse!”

 

“Tell me what's up with you then!” Diego held the box over his head as if Klaus didn’t have a few inches on him. Klaus, however, slumped back into the plastic chair and folded his arms over his chest like a brooding child. “My room is haunted, I can’t sleep.” He jutted his chin up, so sure of himself. Diego held his gaze for a moment before scoffing, missing how Klaus slumped into himself, “I’m being serious, Dee.” He tugged the fur coat higher around his face, peering at Diego who just sighed and gave his food back. 

 

“Yeah,” Diego started, taking a sip of his coffee as Klaus gave him a sharp nod, “whos haunting you then?” 

 

Klaus shrugged, as if he was a child that was being scolded. He began to fidget, tugging at his sleeves. “I dunno, I was using the ouija board-” Diego cut him off with a groan, throwing his head back as Klaus hushed him. “Fuck you! Listen! It's just, after coming  _ back  _ here and with dad finally,  _ finally  _ dying,” Klaus giggled, triumphantly shaking a fist, “I guess, since everyone was being all  _ sad  _ about the  _ past,  _ I thought, well might as well...you know….trytalktoDave.” He took a sip from his cup as he stuffed another nugget in his mouth, trying to act as if this was all normal. 

 

Diego sighed, rubbing at his eyes as Klaus frantically stuffed his face. “Klaus...bud, c’mon.” He knew something was up, he knew Klaus was acting strange. “You shouldn’t...Dave wouldn’t want,” he cut himself off, what do you even say back to that? Klaus looked at him 

With sudden tiredness, like he didn’t want to have this conversation. “Alright, c’mon. What happened then?” 

 

“Remember then I was like, 16 and i kept having dreams about that dead racoon we seen on the street,” Klaus’ poor attempt of humor did well to cover how his voice shook, Diego even threw in a short laugh. “Well, its like that. But worse.” His smile was watery, hands shaky.  Diego felt a sudden sympathetic pang. It was upsettingly clear that Klaus often woke up in a cold sweat before popping or smoking  _ something. _

 

Diego shook his head, so Klaus dragged him out of bed and half way across town because he was sad-stoned over nightmares. It made sense.  

Diego didn’t need to ask what these nightmares were about, he had a sneaking suspicion. Klaus knew that he knew, the whole family knew yet no one really talked about it. Blame being emotionally stunted at the age of ten. Diego probably knew the most however, of course he did, he couldn’t burn the memory of Klaus shaking and rocking in his car after the funeral, huffing breaths in a moment of sincere despair. 

 

Diego had never met Dave, none of them had. The most he knew about the man was that Klaus met him on one of his wild endeavors, probably in a club in the back-ass of nowhere. It wasn’t unlike Klaus to disappear with a new lover every few months but apparently Dave was different.

“He was kind, and strong, and vulnerable...,” Klaus had told him with such a sad smile that didn’t quite reach those glassy eyes, “and beautiful.”

 

Diego had joked then, telling him that Dave must have been special if he put up with Klaus’ weird shit but now...now Diego couldn’t even force a smile to his lips as Klaus starred, unblinking into the box of chicken nuggets. It wasn’t that Diego didn’t understand, he understood better than anyone in their family after Eudora, he couldn’t will himself to think about her right now, not with Klaus resting his face in his hands. They were far too old to being having mental breakdowns in a McDonalds.

Well, maybe Diego was too old but Klaus sniffed into his sleeve and dragged his thumb under his lined eyes. 

 

“Hey,” Diego started, Klaus snapped to attention, all red eyes and cheeks, if Diego didn’t know him better he would say he was stoned out of his mind. “I get you, don’t think I don’t but  _ fuck  _ Klaus, you can’t keep doing this shit.” He couldn’t keep the harsh tone out of his words, not after years of it being the only way to get through to Klaus. Klaus who was looking at him like a child who had just been scolded. Klaus who had sunk into his chair, and whos lip was wobbling like he was going to throw a tantrum in the middle of the Mcdonalds, the workers were already looking at them weird enough. Who wouldn't throw weird looks at two fully grown men in their pajamas in a Mcdonalds in the middle of the night. 

 

Klaus pushed his nuggets away like a child as he drew his knees to his chest, making himself disheartedly small in the plastic chair. “I miss him, Dee…,”he whispered into his arm, tears threatening to spill and pull the mascara with them. 

“And its shit!” he suddenly exclaimed, throwing his hands above his head, “because I’ve tried to talk to him on my board and all I get is  nichts! Nothing! Zilch,” Klaus rolled his eyes before a small smile slipped onto his lips, “he never did believe in that shit, he's doing it to spite me I bet. Once he asked me to talk to his old dog, dogs don’t talk, Dee.” A cackle escaped his lips at the memory, expecting Diego to find the humor in it as he wiped at his eyes.

 

Diego sighed as Klaus continued to giggle to himself before reaching across, pressing a hand down on Klaus’ shoulder to still his brother. Klaus looked at him suddenly, wide eyed and confused. “Klaus…,” he shook his head, words clogged in his throat, “you can’t keep doing this. Not-not just the drugs but...you’re clinging on. You can’t change what happened.” He did his best to smile, to offer  _ some  _ sort of comfort as Klaus looked at him blankly.

 

“I know,” Klaus said suddenly with an almost guilty look, averting his eyes from Diego, “I just...I needed fresh air,  _ Mein Bruder. _ ” He stood suddenly, moving to grab Diego’s hands to drag him up too. Nuggets forgotten about as Diego gave him a confused look.

“Oh, look at that time!” he faked a horrified expression as he looked down as his naked wrist, “its  _ way  _ past our bedtime, what would dear old dad say?” He snickered, completely contrasting with eyes that still held tears as he practically bounced out the door as he dragged a stumbling Diego behind him, who cringed at the mess of paper they had left on the table. The least they could do was clean but the workers seemed happy enough to get rid of them.

 

The wind whipped across Diego’s cheeks as they staggered into darkness, only lit by street lights. Klaus continued to blabble as they made their way to Diego’s old car when suddenly a heavy weight was slung around him, faux fur tickling his nose. Klaus’ arm wrapped around his back and Diego forgot what to do with his hands for a moment before returning the hug. “Hey,” Diego pulled away, holding Klaus by the shoulders as he searched his face, “you okay?”

 

Klaus sniffed, chuckling softly as he rubbed at his eyes. “Peachy, I just…,” he stopped, clicking his tongue as he looked deep in thought before reaching to gently punch Diego in the shoulder, “you’re a good brother...and a better chauffeur!” He giggled into his hands while Diego pushed him back gently with a tut as he unlocked the car, climbing inside and watching Klaus skip around to the passenger seat. 

 

Diego knew Klaus wouldn’t get over it, not for a long while. He knew till they left the mansion Klaus would wake him up at least three more time. He knew he should keep an eye on his brother and how many little plastic bags he found in the trash but now, now under street lights and the soft hum of the radio. Now with Klaus’ head resting against the window as he told Diego all about how he tried to pierce his own tongue or how he remembers falling down the stairs and breaking his jaw, well now Diego found himself happy to listen. 


End file.
